Minnis right to go on EU visit, says Turnquest

Finance Minister K Peter Turnquest.

As of Thursday, January 17, 2019

From left: Stephen Coakley Wells, advisor to the Minister of Finance; Attorney General Carl Bethel; Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis; and Viana Gardiner, head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit, during a visit to Europe earlier this week.

By RASHAD ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

rrolle@tribunemedia.net

DEPUTY Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Peter Turnquest defended Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis’ travel to meet European Union officials after former Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell attacked the trip.

Mr Mitchell said in a government that has a finance minister, a foreign affairs minister and a minister responsible for trade, Dr Minnis should not have made the trip.

Meeting with European Union officials, none of whom are of equal rank to a prime minister, “makes our country look like a country of grovelling mendicants with our caps in our hands saying: ‘Please, sirs, we want some more,’” he said.

Responding yesterday, Mr Turnquest said: “Whenever you are dealing with international organisations, there are different levels of conversation that you have. The prime minister has gone to solidify the position that the Bahamas government has put forth to clear up a few final issues that we have and he will make a report when he comes back, but early indication is that it was a very successful trip. The technical people have already gone. We have satisfied the technical aspects of it. This is more of a diplomatic mission at this point, clear up a few points as I indicated.”

Mr Turnquest said the country should not be worried. The EU and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development have put intense pressure on the Bahamas to reform its financial services sector or face blacklisting, prompting several pieces of legislation that have been passed in the last year.

Mr Turnquest said: “We believe we are in good shape again. The assessments will come from external groups in a couple of weeks and we will know whether we have satisfied their concerns or not. This is an evolving situation as we all know as it has been evolving for years and it will continue to evolve and as those challenges are put before us we’ll address them.”

In a statement Tuesday night, the Office of the Prime Minister said the nation’s leader had a constructive meeting with the European Commission where it discussed the country’s commitments.

“Tuesday’s meeting between the prime minister and the director general is part of an ongoing process which included prior technical meetings,” the statement said. “It provided the opportunity for the prime minister to reaffirm the commitments of the Bahamas at the highest levels. The meeting also allowed the attorney general to give an overview and discuss the new legislative regime with the director general. The director general welcomed and appreciated the presence of the prime minister and the significant commitment demonstrated on behalf of the Bahamas.”

birdiestrachan 5 years, 3 months ago

Of course Turnquest would say doc was right to go. Turnquest also said OBAN is a great deal, and VAT was wrong until they increased it 60% then it was very right. This is who he is.

DDK 5 years, 3 months ago

Go on Mudda, say it!

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago

Sorry....much too busy buying more acreage in Wyoming. My good friend Reality_Check and I have amassed a small fortune in recent years buying thousands of acres of undeveloped land in Montana and Wyoming.

DDK 5 years, 3 months ago

Good for you! LOL!

hrysippus 5 years, 3 months ago

Prime minister Minnis is flying to Brussel's, . . . But taking no Knowles's, no Albury's, or Russell's, . . .
Those Long Island Knowles's are used to hard work, . . . . …. And them Abaco Conches are known not to shirk, . . . .. It would be a safe bet that he's flying first class, . . . . .. This'll be one time you won't get a cut ar-ticles. . .. … . I wonder how many conies will get a free trip, . . . . .. Earning plenty tax dollars as champagne they sip. . . . . The cost of this trip to see the Belgiques. . . ……... .
Will only be known by a cabinet leak. . . . .. And our national debt is now eight billion or more, . . . .. But are leaders are frolicking far from our shore. . .

DDK 5 years, 3 months ago

He and his mates seem to know no shame.

joeblow 5 years, 3 months ago

Every time Minnis travels we lose more and gain less!

Well_mudda_take_sic 5 years, 3 months ago

Repost:

LMAO....dimwitted Minnis being summonsed by his masters in Brussels. Priceless!

The rumour mill is going crazy speculating that Minnis is in Brussels with a technical team from The Central Bank of The Bahamas and Ministry of Finance to negotiate the unpegging of the Bahamian dollar from the U.S. dollar. The day of reckoning may be upon us!

DDK 5 years, 3 months ago

There we go!

Now THAT is an interesting rumour!

bogart 5 years, 3 months ago

TIME BY NOW ...PEOPLE SHOULD BE ADVISING THE ADVISORS TO THE ADVISORS......THAT STEAD OF ALL DIS GOING BACK AN FORTH TO ...KING LEOPOLD II ..... HE DESCEMDANTS...GRAMD ..PALACES...DAT WE THE BAHAMIANS SHOULD BE INVITING THEM.......to the beautiful sunny shores to do this negotiating ting....an in the bargain...let them spemd their money on.shopping...and patronizong Bahamisn businesses while here......

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